


An Out Of This World Friendship

by iloveromance



Category: I Dream of Jeannie
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:48:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24236050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveromance/pseuds/iloveromance
Summary: Early one morning, Roger and Tony have a heart to heart talk (Episode: "My Poor Master, The Civilian")
Relationships: Roger Healey/Anthony "Tony" Nelson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	An Out Of This World Friendship

Tony sighed, doing his best to concentrate on his paperwork. Dr. Bellows had said it was urgent, and that was all Tony needed to make sure that he read it thoroughly. After all, the fate of the universe was in his hands. Well, perhaps not the entire universe, but definitely the moon. Unless Tony had a deep understanding of the procedure for this unprecedented launch, it could spell disaster in more ways than one.

Although he'd decided not to take the job in Columbus, Ohio, he remembered Roger's words clearly;

"We'll probably run into each other from time to time, so there's no point in saying goodbye." They were perhaps the saddest words that Roger ever said.

If Jeannie hadn't shown Tony his future in a civilian job by way of a drachma, he might have taken the job. A move to Columbus Ohio sounded exciting. It would have meant more money, more authority and perhaps a nicer house. But it also meant leaving Cocoa Beach, a place that he'd called home as long as he could remember. He'd have to leave Roger, who had been his best friend ever since they met in the Air Force years ago. He'd have to leave his house-the one he'd bought almost the moment he first laid eyes on it. The location was perfect-on a quiet residential street not far from the beach.

And then there was Jeannie.

She had no idea where Columbus, Ohio was, and frankly Tony didn't know enough about it to explain it to her. How did one explain a city like Columbus, Ohio to a genie? As far as Jeannie was concerned, the city was named after her friend Christopher. A move to Columbus would mean that she'd have to acclimate herself to new surroundings, and frankly that worried him. What if she blinked herself home, but instead of their home in Columbus, she ended up somewhere entirely different? It was bound to happen, for even genies got lost from time to time. Tony was sure of it.

He was just about to go back to his reading when the doorbell rang. He had to admit that he was glad for the distraction, even though it meant that he was falling further and further behind.

"JEANNIE!" he yelled. "Jeannie! Can you get the door?"

He expected to hear her sweet voice reply "Yes, Master." But all he heard was the doorbell. He looked at his watch. It was still early, even by genie standards.

Chances are that Jeannie was still sound asleep in her bottle.

He hurried down the stairs, prepared to see Dr. Bellows, who never failed to make a surprise visit, usually at the most inopportune times; such as when Tony's living room was occupied by an elephant, a ferocious tiger, or even an apple tree. Tony wasn't in the mood to explain anything to his boss. But thankfully, it was a rare occasion where there was really nothing to explain.

He thrust open the door, both surprised and relieved to see not Dr. Bellows on his doorstep, but Roger Healy.

"Roger, what are you doing here so early?

Roger stepped through the doorway and put his hands on Tony's shoulders. "Tony, thank God you're home!"

Tony laughed. "Well, of course I'm home! Where else would I be?"

"Well, packing, of course."

"Packing?"

"Yeah, for-hey, have you sold your house yet?"

"Well, no, but-."

"Don't worry, buddy. I know the best real estate person in the business. You'll love her! She's-."

"Actually, Roger-."

Roger walked further into the house and looked around. "It's a great house! Boy, just being here brings back so many memories, you know? Like remember when you first told me that Jeannie was a genie? Or the time-."

"Roger-."

"Oh, and remember when-."

"Roger!"

"What?"

"I'm not taking the job."

"What?"

"I said, I'm not taking the job! I'm staying right here in Cocoa Beach."

"You mean, you're not taking the job?"

Tony resisted the urge to say something sarcastic and forced a smile. "That's right."

"Jeannie, too?"

"Jeannie, too."

Roger threw his arms around Tony, nearly knocking him off balance. "Oh, thank goodness! I mean I was so worried !I thought that you might have already left without saying goodbye, even though I said the other day that we'd see each other from time to time and so we wouldn't have to say goodbye, but what I meant was-."

"Roger, I get it, all right? Now let go of me!"

Roger backed off. "Sure, Tony. Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you're staying."

"Frankly, so am I. After all, if Jeannie hadn't shown me that drachma of my future, I might have-."

"Actually that was my fault."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, that and the snakes."

"Snakes?"

"The ones in Professor Lakewood's house."

"Roger, what are you talking about?"

Roger swallowed hard. "I'm the one who told Jeannie to put the snakes in their house."

"That was you? Roger, why would you do a thing like that?" Tony yelled.

"Well, because I didn't want you to leave."

Tony's anger began to subside and he looked at his friend. "Oh Roger, you didn't have to go to all that trouble! I mean, just because I was going to move away doesn't mean that our friendship would come to an end."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. I mean, you're the only one I trusted enough to tell about Jeannie. And as far as I'm concerned, you're the best friend that a guy could ever have!"

"Really? You really mean that?"

"Of course I do. Roger, I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Thanks Tony. That means a lot."

"Well I should probably get back to my reading. Dr. Bellows-."

"Yeah, and I have to get back to…. well, I wasn't really doing anything but I could get back to doing that."

"Maybe we could have lunch tomorrow, or how about dinner tomorrow night. Just you and me?"

"Oh, that sounds great! Can Jeannie come too?"

"Jeannie? Well, if you want. I'm sure she'd be happy to come along. I'll ask her in a little while. But I really need to get back to this paperwork or I won't have a job in Cocoa Beach or anywhere else."

"All right. I'll leave now."

"Thanks for stopping by, Roger."

"Sure."

Roger turned to leave but stopped at the door.

"Did you forget something?"

"Actually I did." Roger extended his hand. "Welcome home, Tony."

Tony smiled. "I think that this calls for a hug."

The two men embraced, unaware of Jeannie, who was sitting in a flower pot, watering the flowers with her tears.

THE END


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